Furthest, Flattest Shooting Double Rifle Caliber?

[Kharn]

As per the title and all your experiences... What is the Furthest, Flattest Shooting Double Rifle Caliber?

 

[BryceM]

That’s a bit like asking which Ferrari can tow the biggest trailer…….

But, probably the .375. The rest of them are designed for work inside of 100 yards.

 

[Kharn]

That’s a bit like asking which Ferrari can tow the biggest trailer…….

But, probably the .375. The rest of them are designed for work inside of 100 yards.

That was the first thing that came to my mind or the 9.3x74R

 

[Pondoro]

My Gaucher 9.3 x 74R is most accurate at 100m..and probably more..did not try it out further yet..

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

7x65r
30 R Blaser
8x75 rs

 

[Altitude sickness]

My Heym in 7x65R and I may be posting it for sale soon

 

[VertigoBE]

I suppose my Heym in 7x65r is the most precise, flattest shooting double rifle I own.

However I have a feeling that the OP would like to know what double rifle caliber, for use on DG, would be the flattest shooting. Apart from the 375H&H and its flanged cousin, I suppose that the .500/416, duplicating the .416 Rigby should be quite flat shooting. As well as the 450/400.

 

[Northern Shooter]

500NE, it flattens anything it hits.

 

[318AE]

My 280 rimless nitro express double was the 7mm Rem Mag of its day - I don’t think that is what you mean though.

 

[Just a dude in BC]

500NE, it flattens anything it hits.

This also includes what the recoil hits lol

 

[Red Leg]

Also depends on the rifle and quality of regulation. My Blaser S2 with either .375 or 30-06 barrels in place has easily killed game from 25 yards to 250.

 

[Mountaineer]

I killed a warthog with my 458 win mag double at 249 yards a couple months ago. 1 shot kill.

 

[Mountaineer]

Using a bullet designed for longer ranges is more important than the cartridge.

 

[Northern Shooter]

Using a bullet designed for longer ranges is more important than the cartridge.

Which bullet did you use?

 

[Daniel Cary]

500

 

[Green Chile]

For DG calibers and standard builds (not a one off custom), it would have to be the 500/416. Nothing else is regulated for that Rigby velocity.

 

[Mountaineer]

I used the 350 TTX

 

[Hunter-Habib]

.300 Holland & Holland Magnum Flanged.

The late Cal Pappas had told me this, when I specifically asked him this question.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Are we only looking at DG or Big Bore Calibers?

22 Hornet, 250 Sav or 30-06 are probably some of the flatter shooting options I’ve seen but vastly less popular compared to the DG calibers

 

[One Day...]

As per the title and all your experiences... What is the Furthest, Flattest Shooting Double Rifle Caliber?

It depends...

Double rifles for dangerous game

There are not too many built for distance. Clearly, as already indicated (e.g. Green Chile, VertigoBE, Red Leg) the .500/.416 and .375 H&H (Flanged or not - both exist) are the best candidates.

The most common, and best candidate, in .40+ DG caliber, is the .500/.416.

The ubiquitous (in Europe) 9.3x74 is tittering on the edge of the answer, but it is a bit weak in power...

Double rifles for plains game

There are a vast number of them, generally of Continental manufacture, but also a few British, e.g. 318AE's 280 rimless NE, and some beautiful Holland & Holland in .300 H&H Flanged.

Rimed cartridges​

As also already indicated (e.g. Wishfulthinker580, VertigoBE) 7x65R, 8x57R are "standard" calibers. You will also find a few double rifles on the German and Austrian markets, likely custom made for specific customers, in 5.6x50R, 5.6x52R, 6.5x57R, 6.5x65R, 7x57R, basically everything with a R (for rimmed), although most of the these calibers are chambered nowadays in single shot rifles (Kipplauf) and combination rifles (Bergstutzen). A few doubles have made their various ways to the US.​

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As also already indicated (e.g. Wishfulthinker580, Hunter-Habib), .300 H&H Flanged and 30R Blaser are in the "magnum" class. The 6.5x68R was also a powerhouse, but I do not think that ammo is produced for it anymore. Its place has been taken by the 6.5x65R.​

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The previously mentioned, and ubiquitous in Europe, 9.3x74R is again tittering on the edge of the answer, but it is a bit shy in range compared to the above.​

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The most common, and best candidates, in modern production are 7x65R and 30R Blaser.​

Non-rimed (belted or not) cartridges​

There are not a whole lot in pre-WW II rifles, due to the number of R cartridges, and the most common in modern production, initially made for the US market, although the cartridge also has a great reputation as a hunting cartridge in Germany, is the already mentioned (Red Leg) .30-06.​

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I have also seen a few Browning Express Superposed and Heym double rifle in .300 Win Mag. They have excellent reputation in Europe.​

Multi purpose doubles rifles - several sets of barrels
Any combination of the above, plus a lot more choice for the DG barrel set (.470 NE, .500 NE).

Blaser and Heym are the modern makers that seem to have captured most of this market, and Red Leg's Blaser is a great example. There are occasionally on the used market Heym rifles with 3 to 5 sets of barrels................

Heym SLE 5 Bbl Set Cased for sale

Heym SLE 5 Bbl Set Cased for sale online.

www.gunsinternational.com

Edit: looks like Mtn_Infantry and I were typing at the same time with the same idea.